A variety of buffers and stabilizers for use in conjunction with proteins are commercially available. These solvents and buffers can be used in a variety of procedures and tests including immunoassays. Many of the available buffers and stabilizers become ineffective in protecting and preserving the activity of biologically active molecules and conjugate labels under the dry conditions of immunochromatographic test assays. Some immunochromatographic test assays have a very short shelf-life and oftentimes lose effectiveness or become totally ineffective in a short period of time due to the degradation of the activity of the molecules during storage in dry conditions. While there has been a trend to produce more effective and longer lasting immunochromatographic test assays, further improvements for effectiveness and preservation of activity of active molecules and conjugate labels are desirable.